It known in the art that a prosthetic component such as a stent or a prosthetic heart valve or the like is compressed to a small diameter for introducing the prosthetic component into a human or animal body. The prosthetic component is crimped onto a flexible internal shaft and covered by an external shaft. After introduction into the body, the external shaft is pulled back to release the prosthetic component at its desired place of delivery and the prosthetic device is expanded for positioning at the desired place of delivery. The length of the prosthetic component in the compressed state differs from the length of the prosthetic component in the expanded state. The length difference complicates a precise positioning of the prosthetic component at its place of delivery. As a result, the prosthetic component may have to be repositioned inside the human or animal body.